TEHRAN--Lighting operation of Belqeys citadel in Esfarayen county, North Khorasan province, will begin on Thursday with the aim of improving the night view, improving the visual effects and attracting more tourists.

Ahmad Dinari, head of North Khorasan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department, stated that with the follow-up of Bahman Nouri, governor-general of North Khorasan province, measures were done for the development of tourism infrastructure in Esfarayen county, Miras Aria reported. 

He clarified that the project has entered the implementation phase with funding from provincial sources and after going through legal processes and signing a contract with a competent contractor, and includes lighting the walls of the historical citadel of Belqeys city.

Emphasizing the importance of the Belqeys citadel as one of the most prominent historical monuments in the northeast of the country, he stated that implementation of the lighting project will play an important role in better presentation of  the monument,  boosting longer stays of tourists, and boosting historical and cultural tourism in Esfarayen county.

Dinari said that developing tourism infrastructure and improving historical sites are among the priorities of North Khorasan Cultural Heritage Department, adding that  numerous projects are being implemented at the provincial level.

Belqeys citadel is the second-largest mudbrick fortress in Iran after the UNESCO-registered Bam citadel.

KD